The Unity Of The Spirit IS "The Context" For The Church

[Mr. M]

Ephesians Four:

1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk

worthy of the calling with which you were called, 

2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering,

bearing with one another in love, 

3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

In this passage, Paul is instructing believers in the Ministry

of the Holy Spirit in the midst of their Fellowship. This is easily

seen by the content of the second verse; that does not happen

outside the Anointing of the Holy Spirit. That being so;

4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called

in one hope of your calling; 

5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 

6 one God and Father of all, who is above all,

and through all, and in you all.

From the context, the One Baptism is clearly that of the 

Holy Spirit. Again, there is no other way to be established

in Faith, Hope, and Love. This in NO WAY eliminates the 

efficacy of water, which is the baptism of repentance for 

the remission of sin. The issue at hand, (within the established

context presented meticulously by Paul here) is that water

baptism is NOT efficacious for establishing anyone in the

Unity of the Spirit, and a functioning member of His Body.

The further establishment of context occurs with the 

acknowledgement that this instruction is going out to 

the Saints at Ephesus, and Acts confirms the Witness.

Acts Nineteen:

1 And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul,

having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus.

And finding some disciples 

2 he said to them,

“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”

So they said to him, 

“We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”

3 And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?”

So they said, “Into John’s baptism.”

4 Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized

with a baptism of repentance,

saying to the people that they should believe on Him

who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”

5 When they heard this, they were baptized 

in the name of the Lord Jesus. 

6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit

came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. 

7 Now the men were about twelve in all.

[Mr. M]

5 hours ago, Mr. M said:

Ephesians Four:

1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk

worthy of the calling with which you were called, 

2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering,

bearing with one another in love, 

3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Psalm 133:

1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity!

2 It is like the precious oil upon the head,
Running down on the beard,
The beard of Aaron,
Running down on the edge of his garments.
3 It is like the dew of Hermon,
Descending upon the mountains of Zion;
For there the Lord commanded the blessing—
Life forevermore.

The Apostolic Doctrines of Unity under the Anointing of Christ, and in Fellowship with one another with the Father and the Son are the fulfillment of David's Vision of God's Temple in the Spirit, and our ascent upon God's Holy Hill.

Psalm 24:

3 Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
Or who may stand in His holy place?

First John One:

3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.